Speakers Intermittently go quiet and crackle, then sound comes back. HELP!

h3hl33t · 07-19-2011, 10:29 AM

So, I was driving my 2001 Alero one day listening to the radio and all of a sudden I hear nothing. I honestly thought that the station went off the air, but after 10 min or so, I started to fool with the radio and it appears that the radio unit itself was working fine, just no sound coming from the speakers, only a sporadic crackling noise. This went on for awhile and now it seems like the sound from the radio will cut in low and eventually get higher, work for awhile, and then stop working and go back to the crackling noise. I also want to mention that the dinging noise when you push the lock button does not go off when the radio is having this issue, which leads me to believe there is something wrong with my speakers or something. I haven't done anything modification wise to the car, could it be the 100+ heat we are having in the midwest? Any help would be awesome.

Thanks!

Greencoupe2.2 · 07-19-2011, 06:12 PM

I doubt there is anything wrong with your speakers, i would just buy a new headunit and be done with it.

lonnie · 07-19-2011, 11:53 PM

So what happens when he puts the new headunit in and they still don't work...money down the drain possibly...start simple and get another speaker from some where and hook it up....see if it plays without issue for a period of time...if not then maybe replace the headunit...but start cheaper.

JLw7123 · 07-20-2011, 12:29 AM

x2 i would check all of the connections on the headunit. check the rca's if you have aftermarket speakers and an amp. Do you have a DMM.

a.graham52 · 07-20-2011, 07:02 AM

but what are the chances of all 6 speakers doing exactly the same thing at exactly the same time? check the connection at the back of the radio but i would vote on a nother head unit.

cherrington17 · 07-20-2011, 10:14 AM

better yet... take the center console apart, find the wiring to the headunit. turn the radio on, and wiggle the wiring. I bet you'll cut the speakers out.

no money spent, and you found your problem. If not, start working your way down the line. But in all honesty, its HIGHLY unlike to be the speakers. Why would all of them cut out at once? its the connections leading to them... the most common thing they all share.

lonnie · 07-20-2011, 10:39 AM

He never mentioned once that all of the speakers were doing it....he just says "speakers"...and it is possible to blow them all at once...happened in the wifes Taurus....but I get what others are saying.

h3hl33t · 07-20-2011, 10:58 AM

It's all the speakers. It's as if the radio signal cuts out and all I hear is crackling noise, but it isn't a signal problem, because when I switch over to a CD, same thing, crackling, then it might play for a bit, then crackling. So the speakers themselves are fine, I do think it has something to do with the wiring to them and a possible disconnect/short. I am curious though, as I just noticed this wire dangling on my passenger side on the floor board. Any idea what this goes to?

Excuse the dirty floor board, need to clean.

jawa · 07-20-2011, 11:02 AM

that looks like the ant. cable

Greencoupe2.2 · 07-20-2011, 11:17 AM

thats got to be your problem like jawa said thats your anenna cable remove the kick pannel (the dark gray peice below the door) and plug it back into the other end behind it. weird how that came unplughed tho, and maybe the antenna partly grounds the cd player.

jawa · 07-20-2011, 11:23 AM

check your stereo bearings too, they need a shit load of grease

heineck · 07-20-2011, 11:34 AM

lonnie · 07-20-2011, 12:22 PM

If after that it still crackles...plug that end of the cable into a tuning fork.